Ryan Serhant keeps a list of every billionaire he’s met. That’s 101 names. His firm, Serhant, aims for $6 billion in sales this year. He calls linking up with the super-rich his main job.
He went from a broke actor making just $9,000 in his first real estate year. That was 2008, right after Lehman Brothers fell. Now he’s a top U.S. broker. He’s sold over $15 billion in property. His team has 1,100 agents in 14 states. He stars in the Netflix show Owning Manhattan. His net worth sits at $40 million. At 41, he keeps breaking records. In early 2025’s first 35 days, Serhant hit $1 billion in deals and contracts.
In a fresh TikTok chat with School of Hard Knocks, Serhant shared his easy networking trick. It took him from actor to top broker. “Every room I enter, I use the two C’s.”
The trick? Give a compliment. Find common ground.
Relationships beat transactions
Serhant keeps going after the first talk. He grabs contact info and texts in 10 minutes. “Great meeting you seven and a half minutes ago. Let’s do something big,” he says.
He leaves the message unread as a reminder. He stays in touch until they buy or he stops. He meets 5 to 15 new people each day. His contacts act like cash. They’re built on bonds, not just deals.
His $6 billion plan stresses being easy to approach. “People hate being sold to. They love buying with friends,” he says. “Your top sales job is making friends. Not pushing products.”
This idea fueled his big wins. This year, he closed $308 million in Palm Beach homes by phone. He credits the trust he built between buyer and seller.
“I never really sell homes or buildings,” Serhant says.
Tips for young folks
Serhant started his firm in September 2020, peak COVID time. It grew into one of America’s quickest real estate rises. He claims 99% agent retention.
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For the next generation, Serhant shares billionaire lessons. “Most chase time. It’s their best asset. Rich folks chase key moments,” he says. He picks regret over tries not made. He tells others: take risks or miss out.
Watch his full School of Hard Knocks chat below:
@theschoolofhardknocks $6 BILLION THIS YEAR 🤯 I sat down with real estate boss @Ryan Serhant in NYC. Asked how he got rich. He’s met over 100 billionaires, so I got his top networking tip for business folks. Plus his sales secret for $6 billion this year. And his best advice for young people.